Indicator control mechanism



April 20, 1948. L. F. REINHOLD ETAL 2,440,118 INDICATOR CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Jan. 12, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY April 20, 1948. L. F. REINHOLD ETAL INDICATOR CONTROL MECHANISM a Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 12, 1946 ATTORN EY L. F. REINHOLD ETAL INDICATOR CONTROL MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 20,1948.

Filed Jan. 12, 1946 w w //j /ii i I A W 1 h. 1 j"? 5 1 0/ w" r 7 ATTORNEY Patented Apia- 20, 1948 2,440,118 q mmcs'ron oon'rnor. MECHANISM Leonhard Florens Reinhold, Staten Island, N. Y., p and James Albert Spencer, Teaneck, N. 1., alsignors to Radio Corporation of America, a cornotation of Delaware Application January 12, 1946, Serial No. 640,839

9 Claims. (Cl. 177-353 This invention relates to indicator control mechanisms and more particularly to a device responsive to code signals for setting up visual indications on an indicator having a plurality of rotatable drums with letters, numerals or other symbols on their peripheries.

Remotely controlled indicators have in the past been made settable through the medium of telegraph code signals transmitted from a central station. The indicators are usually associated with telegraph receiving apparatus which responds to the code signals. Such systems have found considerable utility in stock quotation reporting services, as well as for specialized ilelds of remote visual indication. It is now contemplated that indicators of this type may find utility in giving information from a ground station to an airborne installation; for communications between ships in a fleet; and for posting orders at any point remote from a commanding station.

The indicator control mechanism of the pres-' ent invention is designed for operation through the medium of telegraph receiving equipment of the type which includes code selecting mechanism for orienting a rotary member. This mem-- her is arranged to start from a homing position and to be arrested after rotating through a preselected arc. Our Patent 2,375,828, which issued May 15, 1945, illustrates the operating principles of such a selecting mechanism as applied to a telegraph printer. The same shaft which would carry a type wheel in that case may be used in the present invention for selectively orienting the drums of a multiple drum indicator as herein shown and described.

Accordingly, it is an object of our invention to provide a multiple drum indicator control mechanism which will facilitate the setting oi its drums one by one in response to the reception of code ignals working upon a selecting mechanism.

It is another object of our invention to improve upon the heretofore known mechanical means ior setting indicator drums to exhibit any desired array of symbols or other intelligible characters through window openings in front oi. these drums.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be made apparent in the detailed description to follow. This description is' accompanied by drawings in which Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a set of indicator drums and control mechanism therefor. A sectional view of the housing shows a window behind which selected peripheral portions of the drums are to appear;

- alter this selection is made he transmits mesmain shaft and through one of the indicator drums. taken along the line 1-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 shows another vertical section along the line 4-4 in Fig.2;

Fig. 5 shows still another vertical section along the line 5-! in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a portion of certain mechanism which in Figs. 1 and 2 is somewhat hidden by other parts.

It should be stated at the outset that the indicator control mechanism as shown in the instant embodiment is one which is designed to function advantageously in response to the selective setting of a main indexing shaft lot to successively different positions of orientation. Each selecting operation is concurrent with the rotation of a second shaft llil through a single cycle. The two shafts Hi0 and lill correspond to the indexing shaft and the cam shaft of a selectin mechanism such as shown and described in our Patent 2,375,828 above mentioned. Alternatively the operation of the indexing shaft and the cam shaft may be as shown and described in our Patent No. 2,406,044, granted August 20, 1946.

In the instant embodiment of our invention, we utilize the orientation of shaft I00 to drive a shaft extension 2 which commonly supports and individually sets the severalindicator drums a, b, c, d, e and I. These drums are singly rotated with the shaft extension, being sequentially keyed thereto by means of a longitudinally adjustable key bar 5. The selecting mechanism which we utilize for individually setting the different drums is under control of a cam I mounted on the shaft ifli. Arelease mechanism is also actuated from this same cam. 1 In order that indicator installations at difler ent points maybe selected for control from a single transmitting station we combine with the indicator control mechanism certain other structure which constitutes a station selector mechanism. This enables a transmitting operator to send code signals which first select the receiving station with which he desires to communicate and sage signals which are responded to at the selected station and at no other. The response to such signals is that of setting the drums one by one until a certain manifestation of intelligence appears through the window in front of the drums. I

Referring now to F183. 1 and 2, we show the indicator drums at, b. c, d, e and I mounted for free rotation on a hollow shaft 2. Shaft 2, however, is slotted at the right end so as to be keyed by means of a pin 3 to the indexing shaft I00 of the selector mechanism. Shaft 2 is longitudinally channelled. Within the channel a selector bar 5 is slideably held. This bar has lugs 8 which are so spaced apart as to be engageable one at a time with other lugs I extending inwardly from the hub portions of the drums. See Figs. 2 and 3. Shaft 2 has ring-grooves 90 which afford passage-ways for the lugs I so that the shaft may turn freely within the hubs of the drums that are to be held stationary.

Each of the drums a to f inclusive is provided with a. ratchet wheel portion having teeth 23. These teeth are engaged by pawls 22 so as to hold each drum in an appropriate indicating position depending upon the degree of advancement to which it is brought in the selective setting operation. A helical spring 24 urges the drum to return to its initial or homing position when released, by the uplifting of a pawl 22. The inner end 01' each spring 24 is attached to the hub portion of its drum while the outer end of the spring 24 is attached to a ring member that is integral with a fixed separating plate 91 intervening between adjacent drums.

A ratchet sleeve 4 is mounted on the outside of the hollow shaft 2 and is coupled by means of a pin 8 to one end of the drum selector bar 6. This same pin 8 provides anchorage for a coiled spring 9 at one end thereof, the other end being attached to a plug 93 inside the shaft 2. The purpose of spring 0 is to urge the bar 5 to a longitudinal homing position when released by a tripping action of a pawl ll.

The bar 0 is arranged to be advanced step-bystep under control of a feed pawl II which engages with the ratchet teeth on the sleeve 4. Pawl ii is mounted on a bell crank lever I2, the latter being pivowd at I02. One end of the bell crank it carries a roller I03 which engages with the periphery of a cam i mounted on the end of the shaft EM. A stop pin It is mounted on an arm. we and, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. it holds the pawl it out of eng ement with the teeth of the ratchet sleeve d during the reception of station selecting signals. The arm 50%, however, eventually swings on a pivot center We and dislaces the pin it so as to permit functioning of the pawl it during the operation of step-wise advancement of the members t and t. A retainins pawl it engages with theratchet sleeve and can be released during a resetting operation, as will be hereinafter explained. This retaining pawl it is mounted on a bracket is which is integral with a sleeve member id. The pawl, bracket and sleeve all rotate with the shaft 2.

it link. iii is hinged to lever it and is held in its normal position against a pin its. under the urge of a spring are. [i pivot shaft it t supports the arm we on which the two pins iii and its are mounted. it. lever arm lit (Fig. 6) is also affixed to the pivot shaft we and swings through a slight angle under control of a movable plate to which operates in response to the reception of station selecting signals.

The station selecting steps may be performed, if desired, by means of a structure such as shown in our co-pending application'ser. No. 574-380, which was filed January 24, 1M5, now Patent 4 No. 2,404,814 granted July 30, 1946. A functionally equivalent structure for station selection is, however, shown in the instant application. This portion of the apparatus'includes cams 20 mounted on the shaft MI and cam follower-levers 20 which are pivoted as at ll to supporting bell crank levers 33. These levers 33 are all mounted on a fixed pivot pin 42.

Mountedon the bushing I0 is a set of code cams 21. These cams are keyed together and one of them is keyed to the bushing I0 by means of pins 82, A snap ring 94 serves to retain the cams on the bushing I0. The digital portions 21a,

21b and 21c may be set in any desired position of orientation with respect to the shaft I00 in order to translate a series of code signals into selecting or non-selecting responses at diil'erent stations for purposes or station selection.

It will be observed by reference to our aforementioned Patent 2,375,828 or to the station selecting mechanism shown in our co-pending application Ser. No. 574,288 (aforementioned) that the indexing shaft corresponding to the one herein referenced I00 is adapted for orientation by a primary code translating mechanism which responds directly to and interprets the incoming code signals whatever their significance may be. Consistent with that patent and that co-pendins application the herein shown indexing shaft I00 and cam shaft IOI are motor-driven through clutches in a start-stop manner, the rotation of shaft I00 being at greater velocity than shaft ml in order to reach its selected position of orientation before the cam humps on cams 2| are required to function in controlling their associated cam followers.

It is essential that station selecting signals be received and responded to prior to the performance of the indicator re-setting function. Therefore, the station selecting mechanism is arranged to function while the rod 5 stands with its lug 8! extended one step further than its position of engagement with the cooperating lug l, the one that extends inwardly from the hub of drum 1. Under this condition the indexing shaft I00 can rotate freely and the setup of the indicator drums remains undisturbed.

Plate 35 is a component of the station selecting mechanism which responds to proper code signals in a step-by-step manner. See Figs. 5 and 6. t slides on a base under the driving force of one after another of three pawls 34 which are respectively pivoted at the lower ends of the three bell crank levers 33. Springs I08 urge each of these pawls 34 into engagement with one of the ratchet teeth on the plate 35. Spring i0l retracts the plate when released by a detent formed as one arm of a lever system I20.

The plate 35, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is provided with three ratchet teeth E09 each arranged to be individually engaged by a different one of the pawls 34 depending upon the selective actuation of different ones of the radial projections 2m, Zlb and 210 on the code cams 21'. The arrest of the shaft I00 in response to station selecting code signals is such that for a, given station selection the ratchet and pawl action between members 3d and H10 will be in a pdedetermined order and will advance the plate in the direction of the arrow by three successive steps. This is accomplished as follows: Cam projection No is arrested directly beneath a toe piece its on one of the levers 28, thus providing a fulcrum for lever to when its left end rides over a hump 20:: on one of the cams 20. This action causes the direction.

elbow lever 33 to rotate clockwise on its pivot center 42, and to produce a stepping motion of pawl 30 for advancing the plate II in a lefthand Plate after completing the third step is held in place by a detent I20a which is pressed against a shouldered edge by means of a spring I2I.

The same operation as described in the preceding paragraph is repeated by again responding to a selective code signal such as will orient the shaft 100 to a point .where cam projection 21b underlies its associated toe piece 20a on a different lever 20. This lever is actuated by a hump 2th on one of the cams 29 and delivers a second step of advancement of its pawl 34 such as will further advance the plate 35 in a left-hand direction. Likewise, the same operation' is repeated with cam projection 21c underlying its associated toe piece 20a of the third lever 28.

While a single station is being selected in the manner described above, other stations will not fully respond to the same code signals because of different pre-arranged phase relations of their station selecting cams 21 with respect to shaft I00. Such stations will have their station selecting cams arrested at points where one at least of the projections 21a, 21b and 210 will be ineffective. In such cases the levers 28 will pivot on fulcrums 4| when the respective humps 20a, 29b and 290 rotate beneath the tracer ends of the levers 20. Hence levers "will remain inactive. Where a station is not to be selected and in case of a partial advancement of the plate 05 thereat through one or more steps, a tripping action will be performed by virtue of the engagement'of a downwardly extending portion 28b of lever 28 with a heel piece a which is integral with the pawl 34, thus lifting the pawl out of engagement with its associated ratchet tooth I 09. Thus, by varying the combinations of angular adjustments of the cam projections 21a, 21b and 210 so as to have unlike combinations at each station, the various stations in a system may be independently selected.

The function of the plate 05 when advanced to the limit of three steps is to actuate the cam follower lever IIO which is fastened to shaft I04,

machine. These posts III have extensions I a which support a rod II, the latter being employed to anchor a plurality of springs each individual to one of the pawls 22. By means of these springs the pawls are normally held in engagement with the ratchet teeth 20. may, however, be lifted out of that engagement by a slight rocking motion applied to the shaft I I4. This is accomplished by suitable orientation of a stop finger is (Fig, 2) which projects from a hub 20 and is rotated into an operable position i in response to the translation of the re-set signal. I

In that position lever is is prevented from turning on its pivot II! when lever I2 is operated by thehump on cam I. Therefore, lever II! yields to the motion of the lever extension Ila and rocks the shaft Illclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 3. This motion drives the rod II2-against all of the heel portions 22a of the retaining pawls 22 and causes the indicator drums to be released for return to their homing positions under the stored power of the springs 24. At other times of actuation of the lever I2, that is, when lever I0 is unopposed by the projection is, then the lever III resists movement despite the tension of spring H8 because this spring is weaker than the comv bined force of the opposing pawl springs I22.

lever member I08 being also fastened thereto.

This shaft and its levers are, therefore, rotated through a small angle in order to give effect to the station selection. The pawl member II and the link It (Fig. 2) are now both permitted to operate in accordance with the respective requirements for setting and resetting the indicators. The setting operation is accomplished as will be described hereinafter through the cyclic operation of the bell crank lever I2 in response to repeated revolutions of the cam I. The resetting function performed by the link It is rendered possible only when the pawl I4 is so oriented. as to place its heel piece directly under the free end of link I0. For this purpose it is necessary to orient the shaft 100 in a position reserved exclusively for the resetting function.

In Figs. 1 and 3 mechanism is shown for releasing the pawls 22 from engagement with their respective ratchet wheels as used to retain the drums in selected indicating positions. It will be noted that all of the pawls 22 are pivoted at III and are provided withtail pieces 220 which are engaged by a rod II2 extending between two supporting levers H3 at the two ends thereof. The rod H2 is swung by the levers II3 on a pivotal shaft Ill which in turn is mounted on bearings in posts 5 attached to the frame of the dicator drums.

Prior to the reception of the station selecting signals the indicator drums are presumed to be standing in the positions at which they were set in response to a preceding train of code signals. The operation or setting the last drum I was followed by a step applied to the pawl II which moved ratchet sleeve 4 and rod 5 to their extreme lefthand positions. thus allowing the lugs 8- to turn freely without coming into the orbits of any of the lugs I inside the hubs of the in- The ratchet tooth to is then advanced beyond the end of lever arm I20 and controls the latter for causing the plate 35 in the station selector mechanism to be released and drawn back by its spring I01. See Fig. 6.

The sequence of operational steps As described above, the station selecting signals precede all other signals for control of the indicator setting mechanism. They also precede the operation of resetting the drums in response to a reset signal. The reset signal causes shaft 2 to be so oriented that release pawl I4 is aligned with the link I8 and upon the actuation of lever I2 by the cam I pawl I4 is lifted out of engagement with the ratchet sleeve 4. A channel 86 is cut through the teeth of the ratchet sleeve 4 which permits the sleeve to be drawn to the right by spring 9 without interference from pawl II. Another channel is cut through the tooth to which permits this tooth to pass by the end of lever arm I20. It is only when the shaft 2 has been oriented for a. resetting operation that pawl II and lever I20 would be freed in this manner from opposing the return motion of the sleevel. Rod 5 after being drawn back by spring 9 brings the lug 8a into the orbit of the associated lug I attached to the sleeve of drum a.

While the resetting operation is being performed in accordance with the foregoing paragraph further steps of resetting are simultaneously performed as described in a preceding part of this description where it was shown that the digital member I0 is opposed to lever arm I 8 and causes lever II! to be properly moved for lifting I the pawls 22 out of engagement with the ratchet The pawls Subsequent to the resetting operation signals are received for successively setting each of the dials a to j inclusive. Considering dial a, for example, shaft 2 is oriented by proper response to a code signal for displaying the desired symbol on this indicator drum through the window 98. After the drum has reached this position lever l2 operates to engage pawl H with one tooth of the ratchet sleeve 4 and to advance the rod 8 one step. This step having been taken, shaft 2 rotates further to its homing position but with lug 8b turning freely in the path of its associated lug I. Since this lug I now stands in a homing position lug lb has to rotate to a position behind it in order to commence a setting motion for drum b.

Then followsthe reception of a code signal intended for setting drum b. Lug 8b on rod is in position to drive the drum b into its predetermined setting according to the response which is to be made to the received code signal. This operation is a ain followed by actuation of the lever i2 and the further advancement of the ratchet sleeve 4 to ether with the rod 5 which brings lug 80 into the orbital plane oi its associated lug 1 on the drum 0. Each succeeding step of operation for setting the indicator drums d, e and I will be like those described above. Finally the ratchet sleeve 4 is advanced to the point where its tooth la engages the end of lever arm I20 and causes the restoration of the station selector plate 38. This operation prepares the station selector to respond to a subsequent train of code signals as described in the foregoing text.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the herein disclosed embodiment of our invention is capable of modification in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention itself. Modifications may be made in the lever mechanisms or in the mountings for the various parts and in other obvious ways. Any desired number of indicator drums may be used. The number of steps required for station selecting may be more or less than three, depending upon the requirements of a given system. The number of indexing positions, or selectable stops for the index shaft we may be so determined in the design of the apparatus as to provide for individual selection of a single station in a previously selected group of stations, so that selectivity is in geometric ratio to the munber of disks 2'! to be used and to the number of indexing points of arrest of the shaft Hill.

Some installations may require that all stations respond simultaneously to a given station selecting signal. In this case the disks 21 may be provided with two digital extensions each, and the code signal for "calling all stations" would uniformly orient these disks in like manner at the different stations. Then for individual station selection the variably disposed digit-a1 extensions on the disks 2! would be called into play in order to select the wanted station and then to set up a message response at that station only.

We claim:

1. In a device for setting the drum dials of an indicator in response to the reception of code signals, an index shaft upon which said dials are mounted and a cam shaft, said shafts being subject tocyclic operation upon receiving each code signal, and the index shaft being arranged for arrest in different selected positions in which positions said cam shaft performs control operations upon said indicator, means extendable in varying degrees along the axis oi. said index shaft a 8 I for mechanically coupling each drum dial individually and successively thereto, whereby the dials are set to display a visual translation of said code signals. and means operable by said cam shaft for causing said e'xtendable means to be progressively advanced into coupling relation with each drum dial.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in combination with means operable by said cam shaft for causing the release of said drum dials and of said extendable means, each for spring-powered return to their respective homing positions.

3. In a system which includes a plurality of coaxially mounted indicator drums at each of a plurality of code signal receiving stations, an index shaft upon which said dials are mounted arranged for orientation into selected positions of arrest in response to the translation of received code signals, a cam shaft cyclically operable to perform controlling functions after each arrest of said index shaft in a selected position, a station selector mechanism operable by said index shaft in cooperation with said cam shaft, in response to the reception of station selecting signals, for conditioning the apparatus at a selected station to actuate the indicator drums thereat, a key slidably held in a channel in said index shaft internally of said drums, and means driven by said cam shaft for progressively positioning said key so as to cause rotation of said drums singly by said index shaft.

4. An indicator comprisin a plurality of coaxially mounted drum dials each having a ratchet-and-pawl device for holding the same in a set position in opposition to spring tension, two shafts operable in discrete cycles for causing each of said dials to be independently positioned for displaying any desired character, the first of said shafts having a key-way which extends internally of the hubs of said dials, the second of said shafts having cam means mounted thereon for performance of control operations upon said indicator, a key-bar slidably held in said keyway, a ratchet and pawl mechanism arranged to advance said key-bar step-by-step into suitable positions for driving said dials singly and in succession, and lever means operable by the cam means on said second shaft for actuating said ratchet-and-pawl mechanism. e

5. The combination according to claim 4 and including release mechanism operable by said cam means after arresting said first shaft in a re-set" position, said release mechanism being arranged to up-set the ratchet-and-pawl device and the ratchet-and-pawi mechanism, thereby causing said drum dials and said key-bar to be returned to a homing position.

6. In a device for controlling the setting of a plurality of coaxially mounted drum dials in an indicator, an index shaft upon which said dials are mounted, said index shaft being subject to orientatlon into variably selectable positions of arrest and then into a homing position, a cam shaft cyclically operable to perform certain functions while the index shaft stands in a selected position of orientation, and means controlled by said cam shaft for causing a progressive engagement of individual drum dialswith said index shaft. thereby to cause rotation of one drum at a time from its homing position to the selected position of arrest of said index shaft, and thereafter to free the rotated drum while the index shaft continues to rotate in the same direction to its homing position.

7. In a device according to claim 8 apparatus for re-setting said drum dials toga homing position and for shifting the orientation control from 1 one end dial to'the other end dial, said apparatus comprising retaining pawls normally engaged with ratchet wheels mounted on said drum dials, a detent for holding said means which causes progressive engagement of individual drum dials, control digits extending radially with respect to said index shaft, and means driven by said cam shaft upon suitable orientation of said control 10 as the key member is advanced in and along the 2 channel of said index shaft, means for causing stepwise advancement of said key member from engagement with one driven lug to engagement with another driven lug,- a cam shaft rotatable in discrete cycles, each cycle being concurrent 25 with an orientation of said index shaft to a position corresponding to a desired setting for one of said dials, said stepwise advancement means being actuated by a cam on said cam shaft at a time subsequent to the arrest of said index shaft in its 30 2,149,343

position of orientation, a plurality of coiled springs individually associated with said dials for re-setting the same to a, homing position, ratchet and pawl means for retaining each of said dials in a selected indicating position after being driven thereto by said index shaft, and means jointly controlled by the two said shafts for causing the release of said ratchets by said retaining pawls, thereby to effect the re-setting of said dials, each by its respective coiled spring.

9. A device according to claim 8 in combination with a. station selector which is subject to Joint control by said index shaft and said cam shaft, said station selector constituting means for conditioning said setting mechanism to function in response to subsequent cyclic operation of the The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,414,686 Blessing May 2, 1922 2,010,158 Kleinschmidt et al. Aug. 6, 1935 2,082,725 Simmons June 1, 1937 Hubbard Mar. '7, 1939 

